Movie trilogies are hard to make. Heck, making a single great movie is difficult, but making three that all hit the same quality bar takes a monumental effort and a very talented creative team. The fact that between 2001 and 2003, director Peter Jackson managed to helm a trilogy of masterpieces is nothing short of legendary.
I am of course talking about “The Lord of the Rings," comprised of “The Fellowship of the Ring," “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King," and this trio of fantasy epics just landed on Prime Video this month. And with Amazon’s own “Rings of Power” prequel series set to return for season 2 this month, now is the perfect time for a LOTR movie marathon.
If you’re looking to return to Middle-earth or visit for the first time ever (where have you been for the last 20+ years!?), here’s why “The Lord of the Rings” remains the standard by which all movie trilogies are measured against to this very day.
'The Lord of the Rings' needs no introduction
This is usually the point in the article where I’d give you a brief plot summary but with “The Lord of the Rings,” it almost feels unnecessary. These fantasy flicks are so iconic, that the main narrative beats are practically ubiquitous. But if you really need the help, the movies are based on the novels of British fantasy titan J. R. R. Tolkien and set in the fictional land of Middle-earth.
“The Fellowship of the Rings” opens with a young Hobbit named Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) who finds himself in possession of a magical ring. But this is no ordinary piece of gold jewelry, the ring holds the power to determine the fate of the fantasy world, and dark forces will stop at nothing to get their hands on it.
Frodo is tasked by the wise old wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to travel to the faraway land of Mordor and destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Setting off with his best pal Sam (Sean Astin) in tow, so begins an epic quest that sees Frodo encounter all manner of people and creatures some friendly and some very much hostile. And that’s just the beginning of this sprawling tale, unpacking the whole trilogy is a subject matter that requires an entire novel, or should that be three.
The films also star Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Boom, Hugo Weaving, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Dominic Monaghan, Christopher Lee, Billy Boy, Miranda Otto, Liv Tyler, Karl Urban and Andy Serkis. “The Lord of the Rings” brings together a remarkable cast of hugely memorable characters.
These are masterpieces to this day
I can still vividly remember seeing “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” in theaters back in 2003 as a child, and while at the time I was perhaps a little too young to really appreciate the movie's grand scale and narrative ambition, as an adult who has since rewatched LOTR several times over, I can now fully see the masterful construction and have to state that the trilogy is almost perfect.
Debating which is the best of the three is a conversation that rages on to this day (for what it’s worth, “The Fellowship of the Rings” is my personal pick), but what’s rarely in doubt is the overall quality of the trilogy. That’s even more impressive when you consider these movies are more than 20 years old, and yet hold up against some of the best blockbusters of 2024.
“The Lord of the Rings” has earned its place in cinematic folklore, and just in case you thought I was alone in my assessment of their quality, the critical and audience consensus back me up.
“The Fellowship of the Rings has a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, “The Two Towers” leaps up higher to 94%, while the Best Picture-winning “The Return of the King” caps off the trilogy with 95%. That’s an average score of 93%, which is extremely impressive, and makes it among the most critically lauded trilogies ever.
Don’t mistakenly believe this is a franchise that only critics love either. Head over to IMDb and you’ll find all three movies within the first 12 spots on the site's top 250 ranking. And yes, that list encompasses literally every single movie ever made.
Stream 'The Lord of the Rings' on Prime Video now
There aren’t enough superlatives in the dictionary to do “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy justice. In the early 2000s, Jackson delivered back-to-back-to-back masterpieces, and these movies are showing no signs of their age all these years later. They continue to be among the most celebrated movies ever made and are worth watching on Prime Video, whether it's your first time or your thirteenth.
If after marathoning all three “Lord of the Rings” movies you are craving even more Middle-earth action ahead of “Rings of Power” returning, Prime Video also just got Peter Jackson’s follow-up “Hobbit” trilogy, and while it pales in comparison to the director’s first efforts in Tolkien’s universe, I will always go to bat for “The Desolation of Smaug." I have a fondness for that middle chapter and think it's super enjoyable.
If you’ve already watched “The Lord of the Rings” more times than you count and would prefer something a little fresher, check out our roundup of all the new movies and shows added to Prime Video in August 2024 including new flicks like “Jackpot!”.
Watch "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy on Amazon Prime Video now
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